From: Global Volcanism Network (vulcan.wr.usgs.gov)
Global Volcanism Network
Museum of Natural History, MRC 129
Smithsonian Institution
Washington, DC 20560 USA.
pictured by Bagus Kurniawan
Merapi Eruption
One of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia
One of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia
The following is a PRELIMINARY report of the 22 November 1994 eruption at merapi (Central Java, Indonesia), based on information received by the Global Volcanism Network on 23 November. Note that no direct information has been received from the Volcanological Survey of Indonesia, and this report is primary based on news sources which may not be reliable.
Merapi,
Central Java, Indonesia (7.54 S, 110.44 E)
All times are local (=GMT +7 hours)
Merapi,
Central Java, Indonesia (7.54 S, 110.44 E)
All times are local (=GMT +7 hours)
A NOAA/NESDIS volcano hazards alert stated that on 22 November 1994, Merapi erupted and sent a plume to -10 kilometers. AT that time winds aloft were toward the w at 18 km/hour (10 knots). No satellite imagery of the plume was mentioned.
A united Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs (DHA) report on 23 November stated that the volcano erupted at 1015, emiting a pyroclastic flow containing hot ash, gas, and other particles in suspension flow 6 kilometers down along the Boyong river in Turgo village, pakem subdistrict, Yogyakarta Province. At that time, 24 people were known killed, 95 were severely injured, 25 of 40 public works workers building a water treatment facility were still missing, while 15 were found dead. Evacuees totalled 6,026 from from the neighboring villages in the subdistrict of Pakem. Evacuation and emergency response measures had been undertaken by the local authorities and community members. Local volcanology officials had advised authorities and local people to remain on alert for 7 days.
A broadcast of the Jakarta Radio Republik Indonesia Network (in Indonesia at 1300) gave the time of eruption as 1030. The broadcast stated Merapi had been "....emitting hat smoke, sand, stones, and ashes, causing 5 people to suffer burns. Due to the eruption, the sky over Sleman and Magelang was covered with dark clouds and there was a shower of sand in the area." The report also stated that "lava flooding has occured in the area and is flowing southward." Another Jakarta Radio broadcast (at 1300) said from 2300 on 22 November through 1100 on 23 November, Merapi had not emitted "hot smoke" but that lava continued to flow. A 23 November Tokyo Kyodo broadcast (at 0140, in English) reported "Indonesia's team for disaster safety in Yogyakarta said ash rain has reached Temanggung, about 45 km NW of Merapi."
A UPI news report stated that, on the moring of 23 November, an official of the natural disasters office in Sleman, from serious burns. Many of those hospitalized were in serious condition, and more deaths were expeected. The report further stated that "...hundreds of homes have collapsed and thousands of cattle were buried by ash.
A U.S State Department dispatch on the morning of 23 November stated that, according to sources in the area, the eruption began at 1040 on 22 November, and was preceded by an initial venting of steam about 25 minutes earlier. The initial eruption sent a plume approximately 800 m into the air and scattered rock and gravel projectiles across the ashcone. The most serious damage, however, was done on the volcano's S side where the eruption sent flows of hot volcanic mud (lahar) and superheated steam cascading down the S slope inudating two villages. At this time, damage is believed confined to a radius of 6 kilometers from the volcano.
According to press accounts collected by the U.S. Embassy, the eruption has caused at least 16 fatalities, 11 missing, 300-plus injured, and destroyed hundreds of houses. Approximately 3,000 residents have reportedly been displaced from their homes. Most of the casualties occured when superheated gases swept through two small villages (Desa Purwobinangun and Desa Hargobinangun in the Sleman district) on the S slope of the volcano. The injured, dozens of them in serious condition, are being treated in area hospitals. The eruption forced the abandonment of the Plawangan Geophysical Station on the S side og the volcano and ignited -500 hectares of rainforest near Kaliurang, a hill station popular with tourists. According to press report, Kaliurang has suffered some damage from ash cover.
Merapi, one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia, sits immediately N of the large city of Yogyakarta; at least 50,000 people live adjacent to its SW slope. The stratovolaco has an exposed, summit lava dome, the source of abundant glowing blocks that continues to tumble down its SW slope. In historical time, instability of the growing dome has led to nuees ardentes that have caused many fatalities, disasters described in many popular books on volcanology.
A united Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs (DHA) report on 23 November stated that the volcano erupted at 1015, emiting a pyroclastic flow containing hot ash, gas, and other particles in suspension flow 6 kilometers down along the Boyong river in Turgo village, pakem subdistrict, Yogyakarta Province. At that time, 24 people were known killed, 95 were severely injured, 25 of 40 public works workers building a water treatment facility were still missing, while 15 were found dead. Evacuees totalled 6,026 from from the neighboring villages in the subdistrict of Pakem. Evacuation and emergency response measures had been undertaken by the local authorities and community members. Local volcanology officials had advised authorities and local people to remain on alert for 7 days.
A broadcast of the Jakarta Radio Republik Indonesia Network (in Indonesia at 1300) gave the time of eruption as 1030. The broadcast stated Merapi had been "....emitting hat smoke, sand, stones, and ashes, causing 5 people to suffer burns. Due to the eruption, the sky over Sleman and Magelang was covered with dark clouds and there was a shower of sand in the area." The report also stated that "lava flooding has occured in the area and is flowing southward." Another Jakarta Radio broadcast (at 1300) said from 2300 on 22 November through 1100 on 23 November, Merapi had not emitted "hot smoke" but that lava continued to flow. A 23 November Tokyo Kyodo broadcast (at 0140, in English) reported "Indonesia's team for disaster safety in Yogyakarta said ash rain has reached Temanggung, about 45 km NW of Merapi."
A UPI news report stated that, on the moring of 23 November, an official of the natural disasters office in Sleman, from serious burns. Many of those hospitalized were in serious condition, and more deaths were expeected. The report further stated that "...hundreds of homes have collapsed and thousands of cattle were buried by ash.
A U.S State Department dispatch on the morning of 23 November stated that, according to sources in the area, the eruption began at 1040 on 22 November, and was preceded by an initial venting of steam about 25 minutes earlier. The initial eruption sent a plume approximately 800 m into the air and scattered rock and gravel projectiles across the ashcone. The most serious damage, however, was done on the volcano's S side where the eruption sent flows of hot volcanic mud (lahar) and superheated steam cascading down the S slope inudating two villages. At this time, damage is believed confined to a radius of 6 kilometers from the volcano.
According to press accounts collected by the U.S. Embassy, the eruption has caused at least 16 fatalities, 11 missing, 300-plus injured, and destroyed hundreds of houses. Approximately 3,000 residents have reportedly been displaced from their homes. Most of the casualties occured when superheated gases swept through two small villages (Desa Purwobinangun and Desa Hargobinangun in the Sleman district) on the S slope of the volcano. The injured, dozens of them in serious condition, are being treated in area hospitals. The eruption forced the abandonment of the Plawangan Geophysical Station on the S side og the volcano and ignited -500 hectares of rainforest near Kaliurang, a hill station popular with tourists. According to press report, Kaliurang has suffered some damage from ash cover.
Merapi, one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia, sits immediately N of the large city of Yogyakarta; at least 50,000 people live adjacent to its SW slope. The stratovolaco has an exposed, summit lava dome, the source of abundant glowing blocks that continues to tumble down its SW slope. In historical time, instability of the growing dome has led to nuees ardentes that have caused many fatalities, disasters described in many popular books on volcanology.
Label: mountaineering